US4625764A - Relay valve - Google Patents
Relay valve Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US4625764A US4625764A US06/847,642 US84764286A US4625764A US 4625764 A US4625764 A US 4625764A US 84764286 A US84764286 A US 84764286A US 4625764 A US4625764 A US 4625764A
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- piston
- spool
- bore
- valve
- chamber
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
- 238000007789 sealing Methods 0.000 claims description 21
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 claims description 6
- 230000000903 blocking effect Effects 0.000 claims description 3
- 230000001105 regulatory effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000002159 abnormal effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000001276 controlling effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B34/00—Valve arrangements for boreholes or wells
- E21B34/16—Control means therefor being outside the borehole
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16K—VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING
- F16K17/00—Safety valves; Equalising valves, e.g. pressure relief valves
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T137/00—Fluid handling
- Y10T137/8593—Systems
- Y10T137/86493—Multi-way valve unit
- Y10T137/86574—Supply and exhaust
- Y10T137/86582—Pilot-actuated
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T137/00—Fluid handling
- Y10T137/8593—Systems
- Y10T137/86493—Multi-way valve unit
- Y10T137/86574—Supply and exhaust
- Y10T137/86622—Motor-operated
- Y10T137/8663—Fluid motor
Definitions
- the present invention relates to manually operated relay valves of the type used in fluid control systems such as safety systems for oil and gas wells, and more particularly to a relay valve that is relatively easily manually operable to shut in the system and that must be manually returned to service after the system has been shut in.
- Safety systems for shutting in oil and gas well production lines and other flow lines in the event of unusually high or low pressure conditions are well known.
- Such systems include a pneumatically or hydraulically actuated safety valve for controlling the fluid flow in the line and sensors or pilot valves for sensing pressure in the flow line and producing a signal when the flow line pressure varies from its intended operating range.
- the systems include a relay valve which receives pressure from the sensors and supplies fluid pressure to the safety valve actuator. When the sensors signal an abnormal flow line pressure, the relay valve operates to vent the safety valve actuator and allow the safety valve to close.
- Relay valves typically include some means for preventing the relay from going back into service after it has operated to shut in the safety valve.
- the preventing means may be either external, as shown for example in McMullan U.S. Pat. No. 3,823,739, or internal, as shown for example in Theriot, et al. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,877,484, or 3,963,050.
- Relay valves include a relatively large diameter pilot piston that is acted upon by pilot pressure to maintain the relay in its in-service position. If the operator desires to shut in the system manually, he must exert a closing force on the relay equal to the pilot pressure multiplied by the area of the pilot piston. Since the safety valve actuator systems operate at relatively high pressures, it has been necessary in the past to regulate and reduce pilot pressure so that the operator can manually shut in the relay. Regulating the pilot pressure has added complexity to the system and has added a source of system failure.
- the relay valve of the present invention which includes a valve body with a longitudinal bore having axially spaced apart along its length an inlet, an outlet, an exhaust, and a pilot inlet.
- a valve stem is slidingly mounted in the valve bore and is movable between a first or in-service position in which the inlet is in communication with the outlet and communication from the outlet to the exhaust is blocked, and a second, shut in or normal, position in which the outlet is in communication with the exhaust and communication from the exhaust and communication from the inlet to the outlet is blocked.
- a piston is slidingly mounted in the valve bore and is movable with respect to the stem.
- the piston has a longitudinal piston bore and defines a chamber in the valve bore between the piston and a closed end of the valve bore.
- a piston spring is provided for urging the piston toward the closed end of the valve bore.
- a spool is connected to the stem and slidingly positioned in the piston bore.
- the spool is movable with respect to the piston bore between an open position in which the chamber is in communication with the exhaust and communication between the pilot inlet and the chamber is blocked, and a closed position in which communication between the chamber and exhaust is blocked and the pilot inlet is in communication with the chamber.
- a spool spring is provided for urging the spool toward its open position.
- the spool When the spool is in the open position, pressure in the chamber vents to the exhaust and allows the piston and spool to move toward the closed end of the valve bore, which in turn causes the stem to move to the second, shut in or normal, position. Also, when the spool is in the second position, the pilot inlet is isolated from the chamber so that pilot pressure cannot return the stem to the in-service position unless the spool is manually closed.
- the stem may be manually operated to move from the first position to the second position by manually opening the spool.
- FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the relay valve of the present invention in the in-service position.
- FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the relay valve of the present invention in the shut in or normal position.
- FIG. 3 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the relay valve of the present invention illustrating the operation of the valve in moving from the in-service position to the shut in position.
- FIG. 4 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the relay valve of the present invention showing the operation of the valve in moving from the shut in position to the in-service position.
- Relay valve 11 includes a valve body 13 having a longitudinal valve bore 15 therethrough.
- Valve bore 15 includes an open first end 17 and a second end 19 that is closed by an end cap 21.
- An O-ring seal 22 is provided to seal between end 19 and end cap 21.
- Valve bore 14 includes a first sealing bore portion 23 generally adjacent open end 17 and an enlarged diameter second sealing bore portion 25 generally adjacent second end 19.
- Valve body 13 includes a plurality of axially spaced apart radially extending ports communicating with valve bore 15.
- the ports include an inlet 27, an outlet 29, an exhaust 31, and a pilot inlet 33.
- a valve stem 35 is axially movably positioned in valve bore 15 and is movable to perform the valving functions among inlet 27, outlet 29, and exhaust 31.
- An O-ring seal 37 is carried by stem 35 to sealingly engage first sealing bore portion 23 of valve bore 15 between inlet 27 and first end 17 of valve bore 15.
- a first cup seal 39 is carried by valve stem 35 to sealingly engage first sealing bore portion 23 of valve bore 15 to isolate outlet 29 from inlet 27 when relay valve 11 is in the shut in or normal position, as shown in FIG. 2.
- First cup seal 39 is positioned to reside in a radially enlarged portion 41 of valve bore 15 when valve stem 35 is in the in-service position to communicate inlet 27 with outlet 29, as shown in FIG. 1.
- a second cup seal 43 is carried by valve stem 35 generally between outlet 29 and exhaust 31.
- Second cup seal 43 is positioned to sealingly engage first sealing bore 23 of valve bore 15 to isolate exhaust 31 from outlet 29 when valve stem 35 is in the in-service position, as shown in FIG. 1.
- Second cup seal 43 is disposed in a radially enlarged portion 45 of valve bore 15 to communicate outlet 29 with exhaust 31 when valve stem 35 is in the normal or shut in position, as shown in FIG. 2.
- first sealing bore portion 23 of valve bore 15 below inlet 27, which is engaged by cup seals 39 and 43 may have a slightly larger diameter than the portion of first sealing bore portion 23 above inlet 27, which is engaged by O-ring 37.
- the increase in diameter of first sealing bore portion 23 is selected so that the pressure and frictional forces are preferably balanced so that pressure at inlet 27 causes no movement of valve stem 35.
- Valve stem 35 includes a handle or knob 47 so that valve stem 35 may be easily manipulated between its in-service and shut in or normal positions.
- Piston and spool assembly 49 include a piston 51 axially movably positioned in second sealing bore portion 25 of valve bore 15. Piston 51 cooperates with second sealing bore portion 25 and end cap 21 to form a chamber 53.
- a first piston seal 55 is carried by piston 51 in sealing engagement with second sealing bore portion 25 of valve bore 15 to isolate exhaust 31 from pilot inlet 33.
- a second piston seal 57 is carried by piston 51 in sealing engagement with second sealing bore portion 25 of valve bore 15 to isolate pilot inlet 33 from chamber 53.
- First piston seal 55 and second piston seal 57 have equal and opposed effective areas so that pressure from pilot inlet 33 in the space between piston seals 55 and 57 produces no net force on piston 51.
- Piston 51 includes a longitudinal piston bore 59.
- a radially extending first passage 61 is formed in piston 51 to communicate piston bore 59 with the space between piston seals 55 and 57.
- a generally longitudinally extending second passage 63 is formed in piston 51 to communicate piston bore 59 with chamber 53.
- a piston spring 65 is disposed in the radially enlarged portion 45 of valve bore 15 intermediate first sealing bore portion 23 and second sealing bore portion 25 to urge piston 51 toward second end 19 and end cap 21.
- Piston and spool assembly 49 includes a spool 67 connected to valve stem 35 and axially movably positioned in piston bore 59.
- Spool 67 carries a first spool seal 69 in sealing engagement with piston bore 59 to isolate first passage 61 of piston 51 from chamber 53.
- Spool 67 also carries a second spool seal 71 in sealing engagement with piston bore 59.
- Second spool seal 71 is movable with spool 67 between a closed position, as shown in FIG. 1, wherein passages 61 and 63 are communicated with each other through piston bore 59 and passage 63 is isolated from exhaust 31, and an open position, as shown in FIG. 2, in which passages 61 and 63 are isolated from each other and passage 63 is communicated with exhaust 31.
- Piston 51 includes a plurality of ports 73 to provide a flow path from passage 63 to exhaust 31.
- a spool spring 75 is positioned between piston 51 and spool 67 to urge spool 67 toward its
- Pressure in chamber 53 acts to urge spool 67 axially with respect to piston 51 to compress spool spring 75 and engage spool 67 with a stop 77 in piston bore 59.
- Pressure in chamber 53 also acts to urge piston 51 axially in second sealing bore portion 25 of valve bore 15 to compress piston spring 65.
- the force acting on piston spring 65 is equal to the pressure in chamber 53 multiplied by the combined effective areas of piston 51 and spool 67.
- the pressure in chamber 53 acts on the effective area of spool 67 to move and maintain valve stem 35 in the in-service position.
- valve stem 35 cannot be returned from the normal or shut in position to the in-service position unless valve stem 35 is manually pulled out to move spool 67 to the closed position.
- piston 51 abuts a stop 81 formed by end cap 21 which limits the axial movement of piston 51 while allowing spool 67 to be fully open.
- FIG. 4 there is illustrated the condition of relay valve 11 at the instant that spool 67 is moved to the closed position when stem 35 is otherwise in the normal or shut in position.
- Spool spring 75 has been compressed slightly and spool seal 71 has moved about the inlet 79 to second spool passage 63. Since spool spring 75 produces a smaller force than piston spring 65, piston 51 remains fully against the stop 81 formed by end cap 21.
- the pilot fluid at pilot inlet 33 begins to flow through passages 61 and 63 to pressurize chamber 53. Immediately after the instant depicted in FIG. 4, pressure in chamber 53 acts to urge spool 67 against stop 77.
- Piston 51 preferably includes a plurality of standoffs 85 to prevent piston 51 from sticking to upper stop 83.
- FIG. 3 there is illustrated the condition of relay valve 11 at the instant that spool 67 has moved to the open position, either by the manipulation of stem 35 or by a decrease in pressure at pilot inlet 33.
- the force required to move spool 67 to the open position is equal only to the pressure in chamber 53 multiplied by the effective area of spool 67, which is substantially less than the effective area of piston 51.
- a relatively small force may be applied to stem 35 to move spool 67 to the open position and thereby manually shut in relay valve 11.
- Spool spring 75 is selected to provide an opening force on spool 67 that is less than the force generated by the normally expected pressure at pilot inlet 33 but greater than some reduced pressure so that when pilot pressure drops below a selected value, spool 67 opens. Thus, upon a drop in pilot pressure, spool 67 moves quickly to the open position, simultaneously blocking communication between pilot inlet 33 and chamber 53 and allowing communication between chamber 53 and exhaust 31.
- spool seal 71 has shifted to simultaneously isolate passage 61 from passage 63 and communicate chamber 53 with exhaust 31, thus allowing pressure to bleed from chamber 53.
- spring 65 urges piston 51 toward end cap 21 and stem 35 moves to the normal or shut in position, as shown in FIG. 2.
- Spool spring 75 maintains spool 67 in the open position.
- Relay valve 11 is particularly adapted for use in oil and gas well safety systems.
- a source of valve actuator operating fluid which may be either pneumatic or hydraulic, is connected to inlet 27 and outlet 29 is connected to the valve actuator.
- the system sensors are connected to pilot inlet 33 in the manner known to those skilled in the art. Since relay valve 11 may be operated manually to shut in with substantially less force than is required with heretofore existing relays, pilot pressure does not have to be regulated and the same source may be used for both actuator pressure and pilot pressure.
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Geology (AREA)
- Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
- Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
- General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
- Fluid-Driven Valves (AREA)
Abstract
Description
Claims (18)
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US06/847,642 US4625764A (en) | 1986-04-03 | 1986-04-03 | Relay valve |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US06/847,642 US4625764A (en) | 1986-04-03 | 1986-04-03 | Relay valve |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US4625764A true US4625764A (en) | 1986-12-02 |
Family
ID=25301129
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US06/847,642 Expired - Lifetime US4625764A (en) | 1986-04-03 | 1986-04-03 | Relay valve |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US4625764A (en) |
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4790354A (en) * | 1987-10-26 | 1988-12-13 | Goans Kip B | Manual relay valve |
CN114087251A (en) * | 2022-01-24 | 2022-02-25 | 烟台市科瑞琪智能科技有限公司 | Pressure induction pneumatic servo control valve |
Citations (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US31845A (en) * | 1861-03-26 | Steering apparatus for btavigable vessels | ||
US3877484A (en) * | 1973-09-06 | 1975-04-15 | B W B Controls Inc | Pneumatic relay |
US4073466A (en) * | 1976-03-03 | 1978-02-14 | U.S. Industries, Inc. | Valve |
US4145025A (en) * | 1976-12-13 | 1979-03-20 | B. W. B. Controls, Inc. | Control device |
US4239058A (en) * | 1979-07-16 | 1980-12-16 | Acf Industries, Incorporated | Pull type relay valve with automatic lockout |
US4320779A (en) * | 1980-08-08 | 1982-03-23 | W-K-M Wellhead Systems, Inc. | Push-type control valve for fluid actuator |
US4355658A (en) * | 1980-12-15 | 1982-10-26 | U.S. Industries, Inc. | Pilot valve with indicating lockout knob |
US4364412A (en) * | 1980-11-10 | 1982-12-21 | W-K-M Wellhead Systems, Inc. | Pull type relay valve with automatic lockout |
-
1986
- 1986-04-03 US US06/847,642 patent/US4625764A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Patent Citations (9)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US31845A (en) * | 1861-03-26 | Steering apparatus for btavigable vessels | ||
US3877484A (en) * | 1973-09-06 | 1975-04-15 | B W B Controls Inc | Pneumatic relay |
US4073466A (en) * | 1976-03-03 | 1978-02-14 | U.S. Industries, Inc. | Valve |
US4145025A (en) * | 1976-12-13 | 1979-03-20 | B. W. B. Controls, Inc. | Control device |
US4145025B1 (en) * | 1976-12-13 | 1986-06-24 | ||
US4239058A (en) * | 1979-07-16 | 1980-12-16 | Acf Industries, Incorporated | Pull type relay valve with automatic lockout |
US4320779A (en) * | 1980-08-08 | 1982-03-23 | W-K-M Wellhead Systems, Inc. | Push-type control valve for fluid actuator |
US4364412A (en) * | 1980-11-10 | 1982-12-21 | W-K-M Wellhead Systems, Inc. | Pull type relay valve with automatic lockout |
US4355658A (en) * | 1980-12-15 | 1982-10-26 | U.S. Industries, Inc. | Pilot valve with indicating lockout knob |
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4790354A (en) * | 1987-10-26 | 1988-12-13 | Goans Kip B | Manual relay valve |
CN114087251A (en) * | 2022-01-24 | 2022-02-25 | 烟台市科瑞琪智能科技有限公司 | Pressure induction pneumatic servo control valve |
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Owner name: AXELSON, INC., LONGVIEW, TEXAS 75601 Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNORS:SNYDER, DAVID E.;GUNDEL, NORMAN L.;REEL/FRAME:004553/0220 Effective date: 19860331 |
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Owner name: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC., TEXAS Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:DRESSER INDUSTRIES, INC. (NOW KNOWN AS DII INDUSTRIES, LLC);REEL/FRAME:013705/0537 Effective date: 20030113 |